Microsoft loves Linux it’s True!

Microsoft intentions to bring their data management and business analytics platform SQL Server to Linux

Yesterday Scott Guthrie an Executive Vice President of the Cloud and Enterprise group in Microsoft blogged that he was excited to be announcing Microsoft intentions to bring their “industry-leading data management and business analytics platform SQL Server” to Linux.

“We are delighted to be working with Microsoft as it brings SQL Server to Linux,” said Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canonical the UK-based computer software company. “Customers are already taking advantage of Azure Data Lake services on Ubuntu, and now developers will be able to build modern applications that utilize SQL Server’s enterprise capabilities.”

Where did it all begin?

The move has been reported across the globe as a further about face for the company who seemed to spend years feeling threatened by Linux; but things seem to have been moving on quite a way from the “cancer” years of Steve Ballmer for some time now.

Baby Steps

Maybe the real thaw started in 2014 when Satya Nadella the then newly appointed Microsoft CEO claimed that “Microsoft loves Linux”. However it could be argued that Microsoft has been taking baby steps towards working with Linux and open-source for sometime. It has for example been ten years since the partnership with SUSE (at the time, Novello) although then this was more resolving patent issues, virtualisation and about the integration of Linux and Windows servers. This heralded the beginning of Microsoft bringing Linux into its cloud programs.
So When Will It Happen?

Mainstream users won’t see the SQL Server move to Linux reportedly until mid 2017. You can however click here to attempt to sign up for a preview www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/sql-server-on-linux.aspx but Microsoft are only picking “a restricted number of applicants” Microsoft has nevertheless made a commitment to reveal more in the future!